Meet Red, my 81 Restomod Build

[Randyzzz]

Wow! I know there will be wear... I’m sort of thinking spraying Raptor and getting a bedmat.

Today-

If the decision on whether or not to do the LizardSkin on the cab floor was still tentative, my mind has been made up for me. The “touch up the paint “ ship has sailed. I went to work on the little rough spots- and there was so much surface rust under the paint! Every groove on the floor had rust in it, and those little rough spots were each hiding a rust monster! And at the spot that I knew was rusted there were 4 pinholes! So , I went to work filling, grinding and otherwise mechanically removing all the rust. I’ll treat the areas just to be sure, epoxy prime the floor, and then spray on the LizardSkin.

 

[Belizeit]

I wonder what is going on under those 2 braces just in front of the bed area ?

 

[Jeepskate]

It's sneaky stuff, man. The parts that I had chemically dip-stripped really opened my eyes. You seriously might want to consider having that done...it finds EVERYTHING. JPSK8 has lizard on the underside & I'm going to do the inside as well & top it off with tinted Raptor.

 

[Randyzzz]

I wonder what is going on under those 2 braces just in front of the bed area ?

I inspected those pretty thoroughly and they are in good shape. It looks like water would pool in the ribs and that was where most of the rust was, at least back there. The other areas were under scratches and rubs, where the paint seal was compromised. I was a bit worried about the front areas behind “Jeep” but I chipped out the seam sealer with a pick and there was no evidence of rust.
I’m thinking the cowl seal leaked and water sat on the floor while it was parked in the field for years. Still doesn’t explain the floor towards the step up, but who knows I’m just glad it wasn’t worse.

 

[Randyzzz]

It's sneaky stuff, man. The parts that I had chemically dip-stripped really opened my eyes. You seriously might want to consider having that done...it finds EVERYTHING. JPSK8 has lizard on the underside & I'm going to do the inside as well & top it off with tinted Raptor.

it figures I’m on a time crunch with my painter, and a full dip or soda blast isn’t in the budget anyways. I’m going to have to start selling off my spare parts if I go too overboard!

 

[Belizeit]

it figures I’m on a time crunch with my painter, and a full dip or soda blast isn’t in the budget anyways. I’m going to have to start selling off my spare parts if I go too overboard!

Be sure to let us know I'm available to help

 

[Randyzzz]

The last roll bar bolt. All the others came out somewhat easily. But- what’s this? I guess even the factory had issues with those horrid torx heads. There’s a piece of a torx bit stuck in the bolt head, painted over. Aargh!!!

 

[spankrjs]

The last roll bar bolt. All the others came out somewhat easily. But- what’s this? I guess even the factory had issues with those horrid torx heads. There’s a piece of a torx bit stuck in the bolt head, painted over. Aargh!!!View attachment 82301

That is awesome right there

Not for you having to remove it, but to think even the factory had issues with them !!!!!!!!!

 

[Randyzzz]

Out.

Don’t you ever let anyone tell you that prayer doesn’t work, or that there is anything to trivial to ask Him for a helping hand.
Anyone in the market for a full set of roll bar bolts, undamaged? They even come with a factory installed “souvenir!?

 

[Belizeit]

I finally replaced mine this last fall after 35 years. Kept'em as a souvenir

 

[Randyzzz]

All surface rust acid treated (SEM Rust Mort), ready for seam sealer removal and replacement.

 

[jpnmaine]

I think I only had one roll bar torx come out without a fight. Rest were cut or multiple torx bits later. Found thread lock on all of them and wondered if it was factory applied.

 

[Randyzzz]

I think I only had one roll bar torx come out without a fight. Rest were cut or multiple torx bits later. Found thread lock on all of them and wondered if it was factory applied.

There was a gray thick liner-like substance under my roll bar feet. Painted to the bed and then the bar installed. I know my bar had never been removed before, so that stuff was factory. It was on most of the bolts- could look like gray thread lock. But other than that- nothing. I put some Kroil on the threads from the bottom before I started. Once the bolt started turning it was pretty easy from there. Didn’t even break a bit- and I had purchased 3 just in case.

I started with a long extension with a long ratchet to break most of them free. That way it was easier to keep the bit square and put downward pressure while turning. Keeping the bit square is super important on these. Once they broke loose I used my Milwaukee hex driver with a 3/8” adapter to spin them out.

 

[jpnmaine]

Kroil is the best. Soaked them for a day or two. Torx's I used were solid not the tamper proof kind, and I did the same as you purchased a bunch that would press fit in the socket. Not sure what I will use when the time comes for assembly.

 

[barrys]

Lucky you
My 1st scrambler I broke at least a dozen craftsmen bits, lady at local Sears stopped exchanging them so I had to drive 15 minutes to the next closest one. Welded a nut on a few. Never did get 1 out...never got the bar out before I sold it.

 

[ag4ever]

Most of mine came out, but a few were a real bear and required lots of heat. I also broke several bits removing the “easy” ones.

My rollbar was bare steel under the feet, no paint, no sealer, no primer.

 

[jammer1]

Getting the roll bar from the original tub (to use on the new cj8) I ended up with the torches heating the torx heads and the bracket below (the bolt and nut portion) cherry red. Only way I could get them off without snapping the bolts. The heads and shaft (part that went through roll bar foot) were rusted solid. Kroil is by far the best I've used to remove rusted bolts and nuts (with heat it's awesome).

 

[RRJeep]

It's pretty clean looking. Congrats on finding a painter that was available. It took me over a year to find someone for mine.

 

[Randyzzz]

These last few days have turned my normally clean shop into a disorganized dust-fest. Sanding, removing seam sealer, cutting, grinding...I’m ready for this part to be done.

I have started adding the seat belt bungs to the roll bar. I probably overthought it but it will be stout. I’ll take pictures as I go.

I think I found where the water was coming in- the windshield gasket was leaking and there is a minor bit of surface rust in the flange. I’m worried it is between the panels- so I’m going to let the body shop deal with that.

Got a ton of parts on order again, the first to show up was some custom brake lines from Crown Performance for my rear disc conversion. They match my other flex lines.

 

[Randyzzz]

Installing seat belt bosses in a 1981 roll bar.

I want to use 3 point belts but the 81 only has lap belts. So I put my thinking cap on and came up with a solution. I knew just welding an all thread coupler to the front wasn’t a good idea. It needed support from the rear too. Here’s how I did it.

First confirm base of roll bar to hardtop indentation dimension. I have read it was 34”, but I measured 33 3/4”. Mark the bar at the desired height and use a long straight edge to determine the center of the face of the tube. Mark and center punch this spot. Now drill it out to 1/4”. ( You can use a different size, but you will need a 12” bit for the next step and 1/4” is a common size.) Install your 12” bit and, making sure you’re level, drill through the back of the upright bar and then through the top of the sloped rear bar. You’re committed now. Here’s what you have now-


Using a step drill, open up the front hole to 3/4”. Next chuck up a 7/16 bit and open up the back of the front tube. MUST be 7/16.

I specify 7/16 because the stock seatbelt bolts are 7/16 fine thread.

Go to the metal yard and get a 12” chunk of 3/4” DOM tube, .188 wall. If that’s not available, you can get .250 wall. We are just going to drill it out to 25/64, the size for a 7/16 fine tap. Cut two pieces of tube 3 1/2” long, and get to drilling.


Now that you have your 2 slugs, the fun begins. You need to tap each one about 1 1/2” deep with a 7/16 fine tap. I was almost finished and my tap cracked and the end twisted off. So go slow and use plenty of lube. When you’re done you’ll have two of these-


Take a 6” 7/16 fine bolt and thread a nut on the end, tighten it snug against the unthreaded portion. This will screw into the slug from the backside.

You can see from the above picture how the assembly will fit in the bar. Open up the hole on the angled rear bar just enough so the nut will fit through. I used a piece of 7/16 all thread to determine where I wanted th opening to go.

You can probably see how this works now. The bolt with the nut threads into the slug from the backside, sandwiching the back tube wall. Tighten the rear bolt into the front slug. I hit the both with a mallet a few times after they were tight and then tightened some more- this flattens the captured tube wall for a more secure setup.

Once you’re satisfied with the tightness, cut off the stub of the rear bolt, and weld up the hole with the bolt stub. Then weld the perimeter of the front slug. You’re done! And -it’s safe and strong. A lot of work, but worth it!